A 54-year-old man from Madadeni in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal was sentenced to two life terms behind bars for raping his niece between 2019 and 2020.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, NPA regional spokesperson, said the girl, who was 11 at the time of the crime, and her family lived in a communal homestead together with other family members.

It’s believed that the uncle would rape the young girl when there were no adults around. He raped her for the first time in 2019 when she went to use the outside toilet.

Her sister discovered them in the toilet, and the child, who was unaware she had been raped at the time, informed her sister that their uncle was attempting to rape her.

They told their mother about the incident, and the uncle apologised, saying he was intoxicated. The police were not called in by the family.

The man then called the girl into his room in 2020 and raped her again. She told her brother about the incident, and they told their mother.

The victim was taken to Madadeni Hospital’s Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received psychosocial and medical assistance. A doctor was able to confirm the recent rape during the examination, and he also advised that she had previously been raped due to the old scars.

In court, the uncle pleaded not guilty, claiming that the girl’s mother wanted him to leave the homestead and had instructed the child to incriminate him.

The testimony of the girl, her siblings, their mother, and the medical doctor was led by regional court prosecutor Khethiwe Kunene.

A victim impact statement facilitated by court preparation officer Masande Mdiya bolstered the state’s case.

In the statement the girl says that the incident left her with psychological, physical, and emotional scars. She also felt the incidents created a schism among their family members. She stated that the stigma associated with being a rape victim has made her feel unworthy and insecure among her peers.

The court declared the man unfit to possess a firearm and he was also deemed unfit to work with children.

“The National Prosecuting Authority is pleased that this case has been successfully concluded. We encourage parents to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police. We applaud the prosecution and SAPS for their efforts,” says Ramkisson-Kara.